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Artist Statement – In Progress

Using a combination of traditional and digital media, I explore animation and the ideas of white culture and its use of cultural appropriation. The Character Og is a figure to be associated with the Hawaiian goddess Pele and her mythical curse. He is a spirit who’s duty is to possess any piece of stolen stone or rock and bring out Pele’s wrath in the form of distraction and bad luck. Throughout the piece Og can be seen in these instances of misfortune where he attacks items that are commonly associated with an individuals identity.

The media used to accomplish this piece includes color pencil, graphite, oil paints on canvas, and digital software. The finished images are rendered into short animated clips that are meant to be projected onto painted canvas, with additional digitally created images. A further goal is to have an additional animation that when displayed through projection seems to interact with three-dimensional objects.

The common theme of identity and its place in the investigation of what white culture is in the United States, and how the melting pot has been flavored with a variety of cultures; and how those cultures have been reformed through commercial capitalism and pop culture. This can be seen specifically thought the adaption of the Polynesian culture in the 40’s and 50’s with tiki culture.